The present invention relates to a sewing machine comprising a control element influenced by electric signals for the generation of feed movements of the fabric feeder and, in zig-zag machines, closing movements of the needle-bar. In an earlier known arrangement for the generation of setting movements of the stitch-forming elements in a sewing machine, as described in the German patent publication OS 2415761, a complicated multi-stage linkage system, comprising a number of electromagnets, has been resorted to for solving the problem of producing mechanical movements from electric control signals. Such a linkage system has a high noise level in operation and requires much space in the machine, apart from being expensive and complicated in its manufacture.